When things are the other way around
by Aworldnotsosimple00
Summary: He pulled his knees to his chest and crossed his arms over them as he rested his head on them. "I guess that makes today 359." He said quietly. Tears fell down his cheeks as he watched the town beneath him come to life.


When things are the other way around.

A Kingdom hearts and RWBY crossover fic

I do not own Kingdom Hearts or RWBY.

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This fic will follow Roxas and deviate from KH cannon almost right off the bat. I'll be sticking to continuity and facts though. I try to keep away from making characters oc or adding my own oc's. I feel it takes from the over all story and the only reason they would be made is for lets say shop keeper guy/ girl or random people.

In this story Roxas will be the main character but I'll follow the formula of changing view so you can see how other people in the story think yada yada.

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Okay now this part coming up will only be in this post "prologue and chapter one"

It's a compilation of Roxas' strength, personality and fighting styles so that you the readers who either didn't play the games or are RWBY fans that don't' know about kingdom Hearts or something along those lines won't think I'm making him OP or anything.

This story will take place after Roxas' journey up to the end of KH358/2 days so he will be powerful. He's not meant to grow much physically but emotionally in this story.

If you don't feel like reading all that's gonna follow then scroll until you see the bold writing signaling the start of the prologue.

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Abilities Roxas possesses include

\- dashing across the ground in a manner where he practically floats.

\- being able to double jump/ push off of air to change direction mid jump.

\- The ability to fly/ float.

\- He can quickly slide around enemies to get behind them as seen in the manga and game where he slides behind nobodies and several enemies including Axel.

\- He can move so fast while dodging he seems to teleport leaving an after image/ lenses flare as seen in his fight against Sora and his fight against Thorn in KH2.

\- He can run up sheer walls even when wet or slick with rain.

\- He can fall from extremely high places and land without taking damage so long as he lands on his feet like final fantasy characters as seen in several trailers and 358/2 days.

\- He can summon the samurai nobody due to having dominion over them, and can summon at least 30 at a time as seen in KH2 as well as having a connection to Thorn seen by his neck ornament that Thorn shares.

\- He like all nobodies and heartless can use the Dark corridors to travel between worlds as well as short distances.

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Now to describe Roxas' personality. I'll be pulling right from the KH wiki and interviews with the creator.

"_You should share some of that hatred with Sora. He's far too nice for his own good."_

-Diz, to Roxas

Nobodies have the ability to grow hearts in certain conditions and Roxas having Ventus' heart during the events of 358 1/2 days led to him growing one of his own Being Sora's nobody their personalities developed similarly.

His time with the organization caused his heart to warp and become darker which is why he is more cynical and quick to anger.

This makes him less impulsive and he thinks his actions through more but his intelligence and cold attitude lead to arrogance. When he's pushed to the point of anger he wants to hurt people As displayed when he destroys Diz's computer and repeatedly attacks the hologram until he is tired.

"_I am me! Nobody else!"_

He is described as having a devil may care attitude in terms of recklessness. At times he can be selfish, but when he is it's understandable and not without valid reason.

Despite that he is reasonable enough to understand when he has to let go and sacrifice his own wants.

He Isn't the type to let things happen and twiddle his thumbs, always asking questions and standing firm in is actions not letting people sway him. He also refuses to let himself be confused when there's something about himself he doesn't understand and searches for answers.

Roxas has a dark humor that fits well with his cynical attitude and he is amused by irony laughing when he knows things suck and smiling instead of crying despite the pain he feels.

He is melancholy but also stoic, solemn and distracted. He doesn't complain about what he thinks and only really shows emotion when he's angry or feeling content. This is shown by his inner monologues but only laughing with his friends in their special places or lashing out at enemies.

He has little patience for people trying to manipulate him and is very good at recognizing it due to his past in the organization. And knowing when people are using him.

Roxas doesn't want the keyblade and wishes he could be a regular guy with friends. This is represented by his fascination in the mundane lives of Hayner Pence and Olet.

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One handed fighting style

His one handed fighting style is is a more calculated and well thought out or complete version of Sora's fighting style from Kingdom Harts.

His block/ guard ability is quicker and has the strength of his whole body behind it while Sora's resembled a kid trying to shield his whole body which he technically was.

The combos are exactly the same with quicker movement and more force behind them as well as a stronger stance.

At Level 99 Roxas in KH2 basically has Sora's abilities from Kingdom Hearts Minus the flashy magic ones. At some point the combo modifiers just made him use the KH2 Sora attacks.

So his one handed is in my opinion a mix between the best of Sora from KH and KH2. His personality on top of that would make for a more tactical fighter than Sora's constant acrobatics and obvious favoritism of aerial combos.

In Kingdom Hearts 358/2 days, Roxas has a Limit break called Event Horizon. During Event Horizon, Roxas rapidly darts through the air around the area with his keyblade enveloped in light, slashing away at enemies with great strength.

During Roxas' Final Limit, he summons four thin pillars of light that quickly move in straight paths to the ends of the field of vision, This occurs twice with one in front one behind one on each side and the next four being between where the first four were. They cause heavy damage to any enemies in their path.

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Now for Roxas' Dual wielding.

Since Roxas' complete beings heart is made up of two keyblade wielders hearts, Roxas has the ability to dual-wield keyblades.

Tetsuya Nomura also mentioned that Roxas doesn't use Sora's and Ventus' keyblades, that he simply gained the ability from them. His explanation went on to detail that if that were the case Sora would be able to dual wiled using Ventus' and his own without a problem as well, but he can't.

Due to Xion being a clone and not a nobody she had a heart. With Roxas forming his own over time at the end of his fight with Xion he absorbed her heart which was a copy of his own. This meant he theoretically has two hearts now.

His keyblades the Oath Keeper and Oblivion are described on the wiki as being Sora's connection to kairi and Riku respectively but Nomura said that isn't so. There are many keyblades that are owned by more than one person. The keyblade graveyard had many repeats of keyblades due to lack of time to make so many varying ones but he also said that was also because keyblades can be used by more than one person. Xion and Roxas both had the kingdom key. Ventus Terra and Aqua all gained similar keyblades from worlds as well.

The Oath Keeper Represents Roxas' promise to Xion, to set kingdom hearts free.

The Oblivion Represents Xion fading into nothing which is why when Roxas tosses Riku the oblivion he has a flash of Xion in his memories.

When dual wielding Roxas has three fighting styles.

The first is seen in cutscenes where he uses wide swings slicing everything around him in large arcs that cover 180 degrees around him which is effective against large groups of enemies. He also uses more complicated and flashy moves like kicks and flips while using dodges and makes use of throwing the keyblades in this style. This fighting style is displayed in the CGI cutscene at the base of the sky scraper of memories where he fights Riku called "Deep Dive."

The second fighting style is the one you can use in 358 1/2 days when you put the required unlocks on the final kingdom key. This fighting style makes use of his magic and ferocity as displayed in his stance. It's low and hunched with Roxas yelling every few seconds. While attacking he utilizes gap closing jumps and power attacks in the form of heavy upwards and downwards slashes while sliding along the floor finishing in a jump where he uses magic to swing the keyblades around him decimating enemies and doubling as an offensive shield.

The third style is glimpsed while fighting Axel at the end of the prologue to KH2 and completely displayed when he's a boss fighting Sora at the skyscraper of memories. This style is completely offensive based with no kicks, flips, or flashy sword tricks. This style utilizes his magic and abilities to the fullest.

He Glides at fast speeds, so fast in fact that he leaves behind a lens flare. He controls thirteen sword-shaped shields of light energy that function as a shield or weapons and can connect to form a beam array.

He can Levitate his keyblades in the air and whirl/ spin them rapidly using them for mid range combat.

He also displays a deadly proficiency and skill with the blade by never blocking but being able to counter any attack or combo with an even more powerful and vicious combo of his own. This is supplemented by his ability to control the blades with magic that allows him to attack from behind as well as in front or hitting a blind spot.

He can also create an absolute field where his blades whirl around him rapidly, hitting anything that comes near him.

His special attack involves him flying through or floating in the air and shooting his swords/shields of light. If they hit they deal massive damage but even if they miss they double as a way to darken the area and fill it with mist while he fires blue spheres of light at his opponents.

He often resorts to rapidly attacking from side to side, confusing his opponent, leaving a trail of light and an after image behind.

He can also preform a duel stance technique where he rushes at his opponent slashing and stabbing at them quicker than the blink of and eye similar to fencing. This can cause massive or critical damage if not dodged or blocked.

The drawback to the stance is that he leaves himself open to repose and having his weapons taken from him due to the focus in attacking rapidly.

If that happens though he resorts to powerful light magic and blinding his opponent to steal his blades back.

His Limit Break when dual wielding is called Magic Hour. It has two variations. In one he floats while a multitude of light beams are fired down at random like a star shower.

In the other he floats with the Nobody emblem appearing below him. Then he spins around while spinning his blades firing a great number of homing light orbs.

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Well that was long and to everyone who read that thank you and congratulations!

**TL;DR**

_**~THE STORY STARTS HERE!~**_

~ 0 ~

~ Prologue ~

~ A Promise & a promise kept ~

Ugh. Roxas stumbled slightly holding his head. As everything came into view once more he quickly glanced around before noticing the short dark haired girl a few meters away.

She looked pale and dizzy with a defeated but accepting look.

He took a couple steps forward stumbling slightly. "Who are you… again?"

He kept making small shuffling steps towards her. He couldn't focus on anything and his memories were all fuzzy. It made a strange emptiness made his gut drop and his chest ached making him uncomfortable.

"It's weird. I feel like I'm forgetting something really important." He looked down at the girl with a confused look as he stopped in front of her.

~ Xion's Theme song ~

The girls eyes dimmed slightly as a melancholy expression crawled to her face. "You'll be… better off now… Roxas."

Her eyes closed just as a small warm smile spread across her lips but it was gone just as soon as it appeared, replaced by a pain shooting through her entire being. She quickly lost all strength and her body fell.

Huh. Roxas' eyes widened slightly and his hands dropped as he slid the short distance to her side. He wrapped an arm under her shoulders cradling her head. A light tinkling and shattering sound filled the air as tiny crystals floated around them disappearing in the warm sunlight that bathed them.

A worried look came to his face as he looked over the girl. Small fragments of only moments previous flitted through his mind. Images of different worlds and a monster he tore down. Memories overlapping and flickering through his mind until the ice cream he'd been given on top of the clock-tower.

"X… who? But. Why?" He looked down at the girl with a feeling welling up in his gut that mad him feel like he had done something terrible. "Am I…" He looked back up to meet her eyes with a worried expression. "…the one who did this to you?"

The girls eyes closed slowly and she shook her head gently in his arm. "No." Her eyes opened back up and she gave Roxas a sad guilty look.

It was her choice to what? disappear? She didn't exactly know what happened to a being made of memories when they dispersed. She looked away with an uncomfortable expression as her strength continued to leave her not wanting to use the words die.

"It was my choice… To go away now." Her eyes closed and she relaxed against Roxas' arm as all her worries began to fade with her energy. "Better that, than to do nothing… and let Xemnas have his way.

Her eyes opened and her eyes met his for a second before she looked up at the sky. "I belong with Sora. And now I'm going back… to be with him."

She weakly reached for his hand holding her right shoulder and gently squeezed it as she held his gaze. "Roxas… I need you… to do me a favor."

He listened intently and blinked, a worried yet determined look coming to his face.

"All those hearts that I've captured… Kingdom Hearts… set them free."

Roxas contemplated what she was asking him. He could remember the heart shaped moon above the Organization's castle and all the heartless they'd slain to collect them. A confused look took over. Why would she want him to set them free? Wasn't that their key to obtaining their own hearts?

"Kingdom Hearts… Free them?" He looked away unsure if he should make the promise. He looked at her body to try and distract himself from the decision when he saw her legs begin to form into crystal and ice.

His eyes widened and he reached out helplessly. He didn't know how to fix this and he felt like everything was his fault. His hand stopped just before touching her legs and he hesitated.

Xion smiled warmly at his worry and hummed softly at his actions. "It's too late… for me to undo my mistakes."

The sun was setting in the background giving the area a warm friendly feeling to it. Warm oranges, pinks and soft purples filled the sky. But all Roxas felt was confusion and shock. The girl in his arms was disappearing and she was asking him to make her a promise.

"But. You can't let Xemnas… have Kingdom Hearts. You can't."

He couldn't look her in the eyes. He felt ashamed that he might refuse her request and worried what accepting it might mean. Fighting the superior. He… Could he do it?

Memories of fighting Xigbar, Siax and Axel came to him. He'd won. Could Xemnas be beaten so easily as well? He looked at her. And for a stranger? Not only that but he'd just run away. Why would he go back?

Xion could see the doubt and conflict in Roxas' eyes. She knew things might not work out the way she'd hopped but she had to try. A small smile came to her lips. "Goodbye… Roxas. See you Again. I'm glad… I got to meet you."

While she was looking up at Roxas she took in the tall clock towering over them. Her smile becoming a little amused that she'd even come close to forgetting the one person who always told her to get things memorized. "Oh… and of course, Axel, too. You're both my best friends."

Roxas' guilt continued to build and he felt like he was seriously forgetting something that meant a lot to him. Best friends with this girl? He could remember Axel but her. He saw her hand reaching for his cheek but he didn't feel threatened in any way. The look in her eyes said that she was being honest and hurt that he hadn't said anything back to her.

Xion sighed and weakly smiled as her hand caressed Roxas' cheek. "Never forget. That's the truth."

Those words made something in his brain connect. Something that he could feel was being frayed faster than he could hold it together. Memories of Xion flooded his mind as her body began to crystallize completely, her eyes closing. The memories of meeting her, training her, the odd missions together, eating ice cream… and the sea shells.

His eyes widened larger than ever as it all hit him. He. He'd done this to her. To one of his best friends. "Huh!" Her hand fell from his cheek and he quickly grabbed it with his free hand. "

"No."

A worried and desperate look filled his eyes as something in his chest began to stir.

"Xion… Who else will I Have ice cream with?" He asked in a desperate voice.

His shoulders fell as the crystal and ice spread further at an increasing speed. He held her hand tightly as a strange feeling welled inside him, his throat becoming tight. The peaceful look on her face was just too sad.

As her body became encased in the crystal and enveloped in light he felt something In his chest tug. He looked at his hand where he'd been holding hers only to see a few fragments of glowing crystal as her body fragmented and dispersed into light in the air.

This pain. This hurt. The loss of a friend. Was he feeling? He looked up into the air at the last of his friend. His body slumping.

Looking down he saw a sea shell. Reaching down he picked it up holding it gingerly. He tightened his grip on it as Xion filled his mind. Her sitting on the clock tower with her back to the sunset. A happy expression on her face and a warm smile just for him.

The image began to fade and burn at the edges as his mind slipped. Every memory of her slowly disappearing. The memories themselves stayed but her face blurred out before becoming covered in shadow. The more he tried to focus and hold on the harder it became to discern her.

Then altogether she faded from them leaving nothing but Roxas talking to empty space in his memories.

His arms dropped his body going limp as his hair covered his eyes.

"Xion…"

"_...You're both my best friends…"_

A couple of tears ran down his cheek as he heard her voice one last time in his memories.

He fell to his hands and knees clenching his fists "I promise."

~ The castle that never was ~

Axel was sitting there laying on his bed in the sterile white room, a look of contemplation on his face.

"How did this happen?"

"Euhn."

He sat up on his bed as a tug in his chest made a strange feeling pass through him.

"Hmm?"

He looked over at his window sill seeing an envelope there he hadn't noticed before. He got up and lifted it to his face examining it. He turned it over not seeing anything written on it and opened it.

He pulled out a popsicle stick. His eyes widened.

"_**Winner!"**_

He stood there staring at the small wooden stick. His shoulders dropped and he sighed. "Some winner I am."

Just then the door to his room opened up.

He didn't turn to see who it was. He honestly didn't care.

"Axel."

"Hmm?" was his response.

The Superior has a mission for you. You are to return to castle oblivion and make sure our little witch is returned to us. Xemnas suspects someone is attempting to retrieve her for themselves. We cannot allow that."

Axel looked over his shoulder. "What about Roxas?"

Siax just stared at Axel with a look of indifference. "He is no longer of any consequence to you. Just do as instructed and get going."

Axel's eyebrows rose and he hmmed noncommittally. "Ya ya whatever."

"See to it that you do not fail."

Axel shrugged. "What if she's already gone?"

Siax frowned at that. "Then we will have to search for her. Now get going."

The door to his room closed and Axel scratched his head. "Boy oh boy." He held out his right hand and a dark corridor appeared. "Namine… I hope you got out too."

~ The world that never was ~

It was dark and rainy. The cold neon lights on the buildings of the city of darkness in The World That Never Was illuminated the ever dark city, lighting the dark streets for those who made their way from place to place.

There was no one to be seen in the streets though. The rain pattered down on the rods creating an eerie reflection of the dark world on the ground.

Suddenly the sound of a heartless being killed filled the air followed by an angry yell. A short figure stepped out of the ally connected to the main road where memory skyscraper was located.

The figure was dressed in a long black coat with the hood pulled low over his head. He walked slowly to the center of the plaza as the rain poured down around him.

Just then a large multitude of neoshadows began to rise from the wet pavement.

~ 0 ~

Roxas stopped his advance towards the street connecting to the back ally where the bridge to the castle that never was would be.

He looked to his left and then to his right. There were dozens of them, but it didn't matter. He had a promise to keep. The Oath Keeper materialized in his left hand quickly followed by the oblivion in his right.

He stood straight, his grip on his keyblades firm. The sound of rain continuing to fill the air. The flash of lighting and a clap of thunder threw everything into action as a Neo-shadow behind him on his left dashed at him with insane speed.

The oblivion and oath keeper flashed through the air. The oath keeper caught the neoshadow on the leg pulling it over his head as the oblivion swung up decapitating the heartless dissipating it.

Another heartless jumped at him but he dodge back while spinning the oath keeper into a reverse grip cutting the heartless in half.

The oath keeper spun behind his back as he turned and slid on the floor taking down another neoshadow with the oblivion.

He jumped back through the air slashing the keyblades in an x pattern twirling them around his torso catching and killing three heartless in mid air.

When he landed he swung the oath keeper high and oblivion low in a vicious attack taking out two more heartless.

Roxas grit his teeth in annoyance and watched the four neoshadows in front of him warily as the rest surrounding him moved to and frow looking for an opening.

One of the four in front of him jumped forward and leapt from his right to his left, obscuring the view of the others behind it.

When it jumped in the air the other three had become eight. Their numbers were growing.

He swept the oblivion through the one that had distracted him killing it as he spun around cutting two more in half leaving his back exposed.

The eight behind him rushed forward but the cloaked boy stabbed the still upside down oath keeper into the ground and used it to preform a high kick followed by a spinning high kick catching two in he head and knocking them back into the others.

A multitude of the neoshadows sprung at him making his lips from a tight line. He landed jumping to the side and pivoted catching one in the side with oblivion while flipping the oath keeper back around at another in the head before slamming both keyblades down on a third as he landed.

The moment he laded three heartless jumped high above the others and went straight for him.

He opened his mouth in surprise and just managed to leap back using his backwards momentum to tumble into a back flip. He swung the oath keeper back as he landed upright and crouched slashing a heartless that had tried ambushing him just before he leapt into the air with the three from before landing where he'd just been.

He grit his teeth as he counted the six that had followed him.

He spun and twisted his body catching the claws of two before slashing them with the oath keeper. He followed up the attack with a cork screw motion while spinning the keyblades around him

Eight neoshadows sprung into the air around him. They were starting to get on his nerves. He puled back the oath keeper in a reverse grip and hurled it in a strike raid at the airborne heartless tearing them asunder.

Just as he landed the oath keeper returned to his hand and he back flipped over the large crowd of neoshadows to the base of nothings skyscraper. The sky rumbled and he looked up.

A figure in an organization cloak with silver hair stood at the top.

Something in his chest stirred and he narrowed his eyes under his hood as he jumped, launching off a rail and a light post to get on the higher wall of the building landing on a window that cracked under his boots.

He began running up the side of the building with neoshadows crawling up after him trying to grab and eviscerate him.

"_What!"_

The heartless began to spawn from the walls above him. He crouched lower to the building as he travelled higher and swung his blades in a flurry taking chunks of the building out while every heartless that came in contact dispersed immediately.

Just as he reached the top of the building he pulled back the oblivion and threw it. It cleared the path of heartless but the man on top jumped off catching it before it could return.

When the other boy grabbed the keyblade Roxas felt the same feeling in his chest again and his eyes narrowed.

Just as he made it to the top where the many screens were located the taller boy fell past him as he made his way up. His hooded eyes meeting the unseeing blindfolded ones of the white haired boy.

Roxas grit his teeth and made it to the platform the other boy had stood on and flipped over the edge before turning around to watch as the other boy fell to meet the onslaught of heartless.

His eyes narrowed when the boy grabbed his head before he dispatched a couple of heartless and he jumped off after the boy launching himself downwards. He landed a few meters away from the boy and then the slaughter began.

The two worked seamlessly together. Their weapons cutting swaths of the neoshadows down until they both flipped to the center of the group in one final flurry of strikes. Then just as suddenly as they had appeared the heartless had been eliminated.

~ 0 ~

The rain pattered around them when the two realized that the other was still present and they turned to face eachother. Lifting their blades defensively at eachother.

The white haired boy slide back as Roxas jumped a fair distance away. He griped his empty hand tightly and glared at the other boy.

"Who are you."

The other boy took up a relaxed stance but his body was still tense. "What does it matter? I'm here for you."

Roxas crouched lower in his stance and held the oath keeper at his side his grip tightening on the handle. "Why are you trying to stop me?!"

"Because I want back the rest of Sora's memories."

"Sora?! Enough about Sora!"

"You have some kind of plan?" The other boy said in a soft patronizing tone.

Roxas held a hand to his chest. "I'll set kingdom hearts free! Then everything will be the way it was! She'll come back… and the three of us can be together again!" He shouted throwing his hand down at his side.

The white haired boy frowned slightly in empathy for Roxas. He felt the same way about wanting his friend back. "You mean Xion? It's a struggle just to remember the name now… Either way. I can't let you go doing anything crazy."

Roxas' tone dropped to a determined one. "I'm freeing Kingdom Hearts and I'm going to find Sora. I want Xion back. I want my life back!"

"If you try and make contact with Kingdom Hearts the last thing you'll get is your life back. The organization will destroy you."

"Enough! EAARAH!" He charged at the pale hired boy.

~ 0 ~

Roxas dodged under the other boys swing and slashed him across the chest before kicking him back onto the ground.

"augh!"

Roxas slowly walked up to the boy watching him closely.

The boy looked up at him. "Why! Why do you have the keyblade?!"

Roxas lifted the oath keeper and looked at it before glaring at the taller boy from under his hood. "Shut up!" He slashed at him but just before his hit connected he was thrown back by a strong counter attack.

He flew across the plaza his hood falling down as he landed hard hitting his head and everything went dark.

~ 0 ~

A memory played through Roxas' head. The last time him Xion and Axel had all shared ice cream before… everything. Him Xion and Axel all laughing and poking fun at each other.

~ 0 ~

Riku looked down at Roxas with pity and raised the oblivion spinning it around and stabbed it into the ground next to Roxas' head. "Ohuh."

Roxas Felt the memory giving him strength and opened his eyes. "Hmm uh." He rolled onto his side grabbing the oblivion. Faster than Riku though possible the boy had gotten up and glared at him slashing the oblivion at him.

Riku dodged back but Roxas was pissed. He dashed after him holding the keyblade behind him as Riku charged up a dark fire spell shooting it at him. "Hah!"

Roxas jumped through the air and slashed the blue ball of fire landing right in front of Riku slashing at him but he dodged back.

Roxas held the oblivion in front of him and yelled at Riku. "Why don't you quit?"

Riku stood up straight and looked down before a smug smile came to his face. "Come on Sora. I thought _you_ were were stronger than that."

"Huh?" Roxas relaxed for a second before a determined expression and a competitive feeling came up. "Get real. Look which one of us is winning."

"Uh?" Roxas lifted his free hand to his mouth. He felt confused. Where had that come from? He looked up at The boy across from him with a worried look.

"So it's true. You really are his nobody. Guess Diz was right after all."

Roxas was reaching the end of his patience. "What are you talking about?"

He raised his left hand summoning the oath keeper. "I am me. Nobody else!"

He ran at Riku with both keyblades ready to strike. He leapt slashing with the oath keeper but he didn't expect it to land. He'd caught on to the other boys fighting style and followed his movements as he dodged sliding into a horizontal slash with oblivion.

The attack landed with a solid hit pushing Riku back. He grab his chest as he fell to his knees groaning in pain.

"_**Riku please you have to stop him."**_

Roxas stood up and glared at Riku. "How many times do I have to beat you?"

Riku sighed propping himself up on his arm. "Alright. You've left me with no other choice."

He glared and sneered at Riku. "What?"

"I have to release the power in my heart… The dark power that I've been holding back. Even… If it changes me forever." He stood up pulling off his blindfold. "ERRAHHHH!" Riku roared as darkness surrounded him, funnels of darkness flaring up around the two.

Roxas fell into a ready stance and glared at the wall of darkness. When it dissipated a man he didn't recognize but that held a striking resemblance to Xemnas was floating there with some kind of heartless behind him.

Faster than Roxas could see, the man vanished appearing right in front of him. He gasped as the heartless behind him grabbed his small frame lifting him into the air. He groaned as the air was squeezed from his lungs.

His consciousness was fading and he felt his grip on the keyblades slacken. They clattered to the ground disappearing in a shadowy and brilliant flash of light.

Riku looked at Roxas with indifference speaking in a much deeper tone. "I have accepted it."

Those words met Roxas' ears just as his consciousness was about to fade. _"No."_

~ 0 ~

Riku's eyes widened as a brilliant light began to shine under him. "Get… away." Roxas struggled out.

Suddenly a column of light erupted under Riku throwing him back as several blades of light appeared around the nobody.

Roxas fell to the ground gasping. His vision swam and his ears were ringing but he could feel the oxygen fixing that.

"Impossible!" Riku shouted as he lunged for Roxas. Those fierce blue eyes glared at Riku and the blades of light swirled around him cutting off Riku's advance before they shot at him.

He pulled up a barrier of darkness just in time to stop them but his eyes widened when he saw a glint in his peripheral.

"RHAAAA!" Roxas swung both keyblades into Riku's side sending him crashing into a bunch of crates by an ally.

He spun the key blades and roared chasing after him but stopped suddenly. He looked into the wreckage of the crates and saw the man out cold. He groaned quietly and then stopped moving.

His keyblades disappeared and he stood up straight pulling his hood over his head. "Stay down."

He turned to face the opening to the ally and took a breath as he started walking down the wet and rainy way. His gaze remained fixed on Kingdom Hearts a frown present on his face. "I'm coming for you."

~ Alter of Naught ~

Xemnas stood facing Kingdom Hearts with a dispassionate look in his eyes. He sighed hearing the struggle of someone tired coming up the steps behind him. He'd been alerted to the return of Roxas when Xigbar had come to have one of his_ chats_.

For him to have made it this far and taken out the remainder of the organization spoke volumes of his new strength.

It seemed as though absorbing the power and memories of that puppet had given him a significant increase in power.

"It seems you truly are the key of destiny to make it thus far on your own." Xemnas turned around slowly with a cold smile on his face as his golden eyes met the boy who stumbled up the last couple of steps. "Roxas."

Said boy wiped his mouth with the back of his hand before dropping a bottle with a few drops of glowing golden liquid in it.

"Shut up." He growled as he brandished the oblivion at Xemnas glaring from under his hood. A hatred burned in them that the number 1 of the organization couldn't see.

"Do you hate me Roxas?"

He gripped the handle tighter and slashed the keyblade In the air. "I don't know! Just shut up!" He shouted while waving a fist through the air. "I'm going to free Kingdom Hearts and get her back so we can all have ice cream together again."

Xemnas smiled cruelly. "Who is this _her_ you speak of?"

"She…" Roxas faltered. He couldn't remember her name. Who was she again? "She.."

He grit his teeth and closed his eyes bringing his empty hand to his head as a pain shot through it.

Xemnas slowly walked up to Roxas and looked down at him with pity. "She was just a puppet, Roxas. There is nothing to bring back."

Roxas looked up at Xemnas and took half a step back brandishing the oblivion at him again. "No!"

"_...You're both my best friends…"_

That last memory. He held on to it. "She's my friend. And that's the truth! You." He grit his teeth and lowered into his fighting stance. "You made her leave! You took _Her _away."

Xemnas narrowed his eyes at Roxas and floated backwards ominously. "If you refuse to let go of meaningless things then I will have to show you how meaningless she truly was."

"Enough!" he charged Xemnas throwing the oblivion as he summoned the oath keeper surprising Xemnas.

A barrier formed in front of Xemnas and the Oblivion ricocheted off flying upwards. Roxas jumped high and caught it spinning as he came down on the other side of the barrier. He swung both blades in sync down at his former leader with a yell of rage.

"She wasn't meaningless!" He shouted as his attack connected with the white marble cracking it making chunks go flying.

Xemnas narrowed his eyes summoning his red energy blades as he slid backwards dodging the powerful strike but quickly lunged back in. But to his surprise Roxas used the sudden stop of momentum and his keyblades to vault forward kicking him in the gut knocking him back against the railing with a grunt.

"I'll make you hurt!" He shouted at the tall man as he flew at him both keyblades cutting into the rail as Xemnas rolled to the side holding his hand out. "Foolish boy. She was nothing but a tool to make you stronger, and it worked."

A beam shot out from thin air in front of Xemnas' hand and flew straight at Roxas but he raised the oath keeper blocking it. What he wasn't expecting was the explosive force from the beam to throw him back.

Xemnas pushed his advantage and rushed Roxas as he flew through the air grabbing his shoulder and slammed him against another barrier holding him up as he held back his other hand.

"I will break you like I did once before Roxas." A red blade extended from Xemnas' cocked arm. "With this power you will be able to bring me enough hearts to complete Kingdom Hearts. I just need to erase your memory again. like I did to make you and those children forget about your time together. When I gave you your name as number thirteen… Sora"

Roxas' eyes widened before they narrowed and he grit his teeth. Xemnas thrust his blade at Roxas' head with a smirk but it was stopped by a shield of light and he coughed as Roxas kicked him in the chest with both feet Knocking him back.

Roxas slide down the barrier as it dissipated and brandished both keyblades as several more shields and swords of light appeared. "NO! I am me! Roxas! And I'm no ones tool! RAHHH!"

Xemnas narrowed his eyes in annoyance as he summoned his other blade and rushed at Roxas as well. "You know nothing. One who knows nothing can understand nothing, and as such should return to nothing!"

The two met in the middle of the alter of naught in a blinding flash of light as an explosion of magic erupted encompassing the entire tower.

~ The space in between ~

Xemnas was panting, his coat was now silver with black markings around it and his eyes burned with a hatred he hadn't felt ever before. How had Roxas become so powerful. He was strong enough to defeat Siax yes but how could he be strong enough to match himself.

Roxas glared at Xemnas while he leaned on the oblivion which was currently stabbed into the floor of wherever they were. His breathing was labored and sweat rolled down his face but that burning determination in his eyes.

That… emotion.

"No. You have a…"

Roxas pulled the oblivion up and stumbled towards Xemnas waving the blade angrily. "Shut up! Shut up, shut up, shut up! Don't you dare say another word!" He raised the Oblivion above his head and glared down at the beaten nobody with a burning hatred that he couldn't control.

"This ends here! You wont get Kingdom Hearts. No one will!" He swung the Oblivion down and it passed right through Xemnas. Just then there was a hum of energy as an after image faded just out of his peripheral and a burning sensation exploded in his back and he went flying.

Xemnas panted and tried to stand tall but winced in pain. "You have grown strong Roxas. Join me and together we can rebuild the organization and if you so desire we can create another puppet for you to live out your fantasies with. The other one was dysfunctional anyways."

Xemnas held his side and slowly limped over to the fallen Roxas who was groaning on the floor holding his back and trying to stand up. "What?" He grit out.

"Like I'd join you again. You took her away by forcing her to turn on us. Why couldn't things have just stayed the same?!"

Xemnas chuckled. "I think it had something to do with the boy you faced before coming back to the castle. He was in several mission reports that the others turned in. He was meeting with our broken tool and must have had something to do with her betrayal."

Roxas paused at that information and his eyes darkened at the memory of his fight with the boy._ "I should have ended him there…"_

Xemnas smirked at having found something to turn Roxas with. He held out his hand and spoke calmly. "Return to me and we can find him and his friends. We can end them, together."

Roxas stiffened and looked up at Xemnas. He knew that this was a trick to get him to finish kingdom hearts for him, but he would help him take care of that boy if he had wronged the organization. That was certain. No one messed with Xemnas' plans and got away with it. Marluxia was evidence of that.

While he contemplated his decision a faceless girl passed through his mind and the shattering of crystal met his ears. A distorted voice floated through his head.

"_**All those hearts that I've captured… Kingdom Hearts… set them free."**_

He reached for Xemnas' hand but just before he took it the oath keeper materialized in his hand and he pushed all his weight against it.

Xemnas stood there in shock as dark wispy smoke floated past his eyes. "Why?"

Roxas glared up at Xemnas with determined look and shoved the oath keeper deeper into his chest as the man fell to the his knees. "I made a promise, and I'm going to keep it."

The oath keeper dematerialized and Xemnas fell to his back as his body began to fade into wispy smoke. He raised his hand and grabbed at something only he could see. "Kingdom Hearts… so… close."

Roxas looked over his shoulder at his once feared leader, a solemn expression came to his face. "No one will miss you."

A dark corridor opened up and Roxas limped through leaving the dying Xemnas behind.

~ Alter of Naught ~

Roxas looked up at Kingdom Hearts with a sad look. He had a feeling that what the white haired boy had told him before had some truth to it. That freeing Kingdom Hearts wouldn't bring back his friend.

"Heh. I guess I proved you wrong though. I beat them… I won." He sighed in defeat and looked down at his hands where a popsicle stick lay.

~ Johnny Cash Hurt ~

"_LOOSER"_

He gave a humorless laugh and pocketed the stick. "Maybe the ice cream has it right."

He held out his right hand summoning the Kingdom key. He held it down at his side and pulled his left hand to his chest with a sea shell in it. "This is for you… Xion."

He lifted the kingdom key and pointed it at Kingdom Hearts. An array with the nobody crest directly under him filled the platform as a beam of light shot out from the kingdom key and connected to the giant heart shaped moon.

The world shook and the sky exploded with a blue light as the moon began to disappear.

As the hearts were freed and the moon dissipated Roxas could feel something stir In his chest. He let the kingdom key disappear and he held his hands to his chest clutching the sea shell Xion had left for him.

The world that never was began to fade and fall into the darkness it came from as the city that mirrored it faded into a blinding light. The shadows enveloped Roxas and nothing remained but him.

All of his memories with the organization began to pass through his mind. All the lectures from Siax, the jokes from Xigbar. Music lessons from Demyx. Xaldin showing him how to jump better. Vexen's little pop quizzes on science. Larxene flirting with him to get a reaction out of him.

Then there was Zexion teaching him the ins and outs of magic and how to counter every type. Luxord showing him how to get around illusions and break free of them. Lexaeus training him how to take down enemies in a single blow and whipping him into shape.

Marluxia confusing him with his philosophy and psychology. Then there was Axel and all the times they talked on the clock tower. Eating ice cream and… and…

The memories began to fade and slip away from him faster than he could drag them up.

His eyes were wide and he stumbled forward reaching out for them as if he could hold on to them if he only tried.

"No just one. Just let me keep one!" He begged as a tight feeling choked him and a burning sensation prickled his eyes.

"_**Roxas… Don't be sad."**_

"Huh?!" Roxas spun around eyes wide, unaware of the tears streaming down his face.

"_**I came from you and Sora. I am you, the same way that I am Sora."**_

A glowing figure stood there in front of him.

"Xio…"

The figure put a finger against his lips and smiled from under her hood.

"_**You'll forget me but the memories themselves will never go away."**_

Roxas reached out to the girl as tears filled his eyes.

"_**You know Roxas, you have to have a heart… to cry. Goodbye."**_

At those last words Roxas felt his eyelids grow heavy and he fell back splashing into the darkness.

~ ? ~

A cool breeze stung Roxas'. He opened his eyes slowly and blinked at the stinging feeling. A large white bird flew by as the rising sun met his gaze. The slowly rising body of light brought a calm content light cross the city he sat above. Looking out over the town he felt a twinge of pain in his chest.

"Well."

He pulled his knees to his chest and crossed his arms over them as he rested his head on them. "I guess that makes today 359." He said quietly. Tears fell down his cheeks as he watched the town beneath him come to life.

"I feel like I don't know myself at all anymore."

The blurry image of Xion faded from his memory and he buried his face between his knees. He squeezed himself tightly before looking up with a broken smile and a tear stained face. "Goodbye."

~ Prologue end ~

~ Ch 1 ~

~ Day 364 ~

It was bright and sunny with crowds everywhere. The color festival was in full swing and the partying in the streets was a sure sign of that.

Trumpets blaring along to the happy upbeat tunes of folk songs with the colorful flags and confetti flying through the air made everything feel all the more festive.

Pyrrha loved the color festival. It always made her feel alive and welcome what with all the new people traveling here for it and the music, the dancing, the food. Oh Oum the food!

Her mouth watered as she munched on her takoyaki. She'd found it at a stall near the arena on one of her breaks last week and had fallen in love with it ever since. She'd had to ditch her trainer and her agent to be able to eat it but it was worth it.

They were her guilty little pleasure and a great comfort food that she "Ouf!"

She fell back landing on her butt. She slowly got up rubbing her backside while wincing at the unexpected collision having been too surprised and caught off guard to bring her aura up.

She couldn't believe she'd run into someone in her close eyed bliss while savoring her food. Opening her eyes she took in the person she'd bumped into and to her horror she'd spilled her precious food all over the persons black coat. "Oh I'm so sorry." She bowed to the stranger, her high ponytail whipping around with the fast repeated motion. "I apologize. it was a mistake on my part I should have been."

"Don't worry about it." The hooded boy in front of her said cutting her off as he scrapped the remainder of the food and the sauce off with a napkin from his own empty plate before tossing it all into the trashcan near them.

He looked into her bright green eyes with a pair of bright blue ones and his eyes widened. His face was calm and not very expressive but the slight frown on his lips and the recognition of her face made her feel self conscious.

Was he another worshiper of The goddess of victory, The Pyrrha Nikos. She frowned internally but put on a smile and held out her hand to him. "Please accept my apology."

The boy leaned back when she held out her hand. He looked from her hand to her with a weary gaze.

Pyrrha's heart fell at his cold reaction. So he did know about The Pyrrha Nikos huh. And if he was a competitor then he was probably afraid to face her like everyone else.

She sighed internally and was about to take her hand back when he gingerly took it. "Okay. Just try not to do it again."

He held her hand with a firm grip but shook gently before pointing at himself with his thumb using his free hand. "Roxas. You are?"

"Roxas?" She said tilting her head in curiosity at the strange name It wasn't related to color in any way as far as she could tell. She was about to ask him what it meant but then his full comment registered. Well the last part anyways. _**"You are?"**_

She clasped her left hand over his and shook his hand happily. A beaming smile spreading across her face. "Pyrrha. My names Pyrrha. Pyrrha Nikos." She said a little to quietly if the boy moving his head closer and turning it to the side was any indicator.

She flushed nervously. No one around had seemed to notice her for the most part but she was sure that saying her name out loud would draw attention. She leaned in closer to the boy and said her name again. "My name is Pyrrha Nikos. Pleasure to meet you Roxas."

Roxas quirked a brow at her change in tone from her name to the rest of her sentence but just shrugged it off as he leaned back after catching her name. He nodded at her and took his hand back. "Well…"

The boy trailed off. She looked at him curiously wondering why he seemed to be looking around as if someone would tell him what to say. She smiled warmly at him and he looked down.

"Sorry. You look a lot like someone I know. Well, you have the same eye color and hair color anyways. It caught me off guard."

Pyrrha shook her head feeling willing to forgive him for just about anything at the moment. He didn't know who she was and he didn't seem to be interested in her past introductions. So in her mind she was hoping he would be a potential friend.

She hadn't had anyone talk to her like this since she was 14 when she won her first Mistral Regional Tournament and the one after that as well. Even her own family had taken to treating her as superior and kept their distance.

She got lost in thought about her past and the potential of someone new coming into her life that she only came back when she noticed the boy in the black coat moving away. Her eyes widened slightly and she took a step closer to him. "Where are you going?"

Roxas turned to look at her again and tilted his head gesturing at the gate to the arena. "I have a match in ten minutes. I should get going. I just told you. Were you listening?"

He frowned at her and his eyes seemed to hold a sense of disappointment that made her stomach twist. She reached out to him weakly when he took a couple of steps back and then he turned around walking away towards the arena leaving a confused and lonely feeling Pyrrha.

Had she really been so far in her own little world that she'd ignored him? She blushed harder in embarrassment and covered her face in shame at the disrespect she'd shown him.

She rubbed her left arm with her right and sighed. "I hope I didn't just ruin my chances of making a friend by acting so absentmindedly."

"Ms. Nikos!"

Her back stiffened at the call and she closed her eyes trying to focus as she plastered her award winning smile to her face. "Ms. Nikos please don't run off like that again."

"_Ugggg."_ She groaned in her head as the voice of her agent met her ears again and many of the people around the stalls turned to look at the voice before focusing on her.

A tall man in a dark gray suit white shirt and a red tie came up to her patting her on the shoulder before pulling out his scroll. "Ms. Nikos we must hurry to the arena. There is a strong competitor that we don't know much about fighting in a few minutes. There will also be a new face that nobody has ever seen before outside of this tournament competing right now."

Pyrrha looked at her agent with curiosity at the mention of the unknown participant and remembered the boy, Roxas. He'd said he was fighting soon hadn't he?

She looked at her agent questioningly and he took note of her reaction before showing her his scroll. "Here is the information we have on both."

Pyrrha took the scroll as the crowd around them picked up on who exactly she was and began to swarm her. She looked through the information on the scroll and kept it up as her agent pulled her towards the arena. She swiped past all the info on the girl and stopped when she saw the picture of a young blonde boy with bright blue eyes and a very stern expression that she wouldn't have associated with someone their age.

He was 15 and his birthday was Tomorrow. He was labeled as a sword wielder and his fighting style was to random to make anything of with the few fights he'd had.

The last bit of information she read was that he had no prior record, medical, educational or otherwise. She blinked in confusion and looked up over the crowed where she could just make out the hooded boy's head over all the other people shoulders.

"Come on Ms. Nikos you also have your match for the championship in 30 minutes. You need to watch the next fight, your opponent will be the winner and you need to have every advantage you can get. Come now." Her agent took his scroll from her and pushed her forwards to the VIP section of the arena.

Pyrrha sighed with a nod as she was guided through the crowed waving and smiling at everyone as well as signing autographs here and there.

She looked towards the arena with a hopeful look. "_I hope Roxas wins. It would be fun fighting someone I haven't seen before. Plus he doesn't know who I am so if he does win and we fight, my title won't scare him off like that girl from last year."_

"Ms. Nikos, an autograph please!"

Pyrrha plastered a charming smile on her face again and turned to the fan who'd called her. "Sure." She said with her practiced manners as she took the girls photo of her and signed it._ "Just a few more meters…"_

~ Arena locker rooms - side B ~

Roxas sat on one of the benches in the large room that had been full of competitors earlier in the week. He looked down at his boots and sighed. He didn't really know why he was here in the first place just that he needed the money from the championship title to get wherever it was he was gonna go from here.

He closed his eyes remembering just how he'd woken up on some tower a week ago around noon when some custodian who was cleaning had found him. He'd gotten yelled at for being up there with the custodian saying the festival preparations were beginning and all the higher locations in the city were off limits for the next week.

He opened his eyes and looked out of one of the high windows where he could see colorful flags and confetti raining down as people laughed and music played outside. It had indeed been the beginnings of a festival last week and now things were in full swing with today being the last day with a huge event lined up for midnight.

The whole thing reminded him of something from his past but he couldn't quite place it. Memories from twilight town before he'd joined the organization drifted through his mind but he could never make them out clearly. It had to do with what Xemnas said about breaking him and wiping his memories before he joined.

He chuckled bitterly and scoffed. "Guess there was a reason I was such a zombie when I first joined the organization."

He leaned back on the bench, his back resting against a locker as the loud commotion of the eager crowd outside the locker room made it hard for him to focus.

It was strange. He could remember places he'd been and basic knowledge like logic, math and his abilities as well as conversations. Well at least his side of them, but people just eluded him. He knew there were other people like the members of the organization but ever since he'd freed Kingdom Hearts he just couldn't remember things clearly.

He tightened his fists in frustration and punched down on the solid wooden bench. It was like trying to remember things from a fevered dream.

He remembered the everything back to his first time meeting everyone in the organization the problem was that he couldn't focus on faces and their words were always distorted.

He relaxed his grip and let out an annoyed breath. "There's nothing left for me there anyways. I guess it doesn't matter if I stay here." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the black wallet the organization had given him. Looking inside he counted over tens of thousands of munny. The problem with that was that his money wasn't worth anything here. So, he had no funds and nowhere to go.

He pocketed the wallet again before he pulled his legs onto the bench smiling bitterly. "Just where did I think I could go anyways?" Just then he heard someone entering the locker rooms from the sponsors section and he pulled his hood up as he stood up. A tall man walked in followed closely by a short girl with multi colored hair.

"So. How's my ace in the hole doing?" Spoke the man in a slick tone.

He turned to face the man. He wore a New white coat that he hadn't worn when they met along with a bowler hat with black pants and pointy brown shoes. He spun a cane in his gloved hand while tapping the ashes of a cigar with the other.

"Fine."

The man stopped spinning his cane and leaned on it while taking a puff from his cigar. "Come on kid work with me. Whats with all these short answers and angry faces. I swear your worse than Neo. At least she's expressive." The short girl next to the man huffed quietly and rolled her eyes.

Roxas shrugged looking away. "Sorry. I Just didn't think I needed to say anything else."

The man sighed and rubbed his hair under his hat before fixing it again. _"What kind of life did this kid live before he found him. It's like he's some military specialist with his no nonsense attitude and lack of communication out side of absolutely necessary information."_

"So. What did you want to talk to me about Roman?" Roxas asked with an indifferent tone.

Roman grinned at Roxas and tapped his ashes again. "You know kid, you might be a tad bit unsettling to talk to but I swear. I love how to the point you are without being pushy. You'd make quite the business man some day."

Roxas shrugged and took a breath. "We're under contract right now. You pay me and I get the mission done. The better I do the more you make and the more I get paid. Percentages and all that."

Roman laughed and ruffled Roxas' hood messing up his hair underneath while drawing a groan of annoyance from the fifteen year old. "You're pretty smart and since you are such a good flunky I'll make it quick."

Roman tossed his cane catching it and leveled it at Roxas who didn't even flinch. "Your first few fights were pretty easy and I've had you act like they get harder as you went up the ranks right?"

Roxas nodded.

"Well." Roman tapped Roxas' check with the handle of the cane and Roxas smacked it away with an annoyed look. "I'm impressed to say the least." He held a hand up at the confused look on Roxas' face. "Now don't go getting a big head now we still need to win."

Roman took a puff of his cigar. "After seeing what you were capable of and how easy it is to rig matches with you we've made quite a bit. There's only two rounds left in the tournament. So I figured it'd be fine to let you off the leash and just take this home for us."

Roxas rubbed his head and his shoulders dropped. "Really?"

Roman rolled his eyes. "Yes really kid." He said with a huff. "I may be a greedy criminal but I ain't stupid. If you pull a win out your ass against Pyrrha Nikos even though I know you can the whole worlds gonna think it's suspicious. They'll think we rigged everything which we kinda did but that's besides the point. Anyways what I'm saying is, is that if you crush the runner up then it won't be as much a surprise when you beat Pyrrha."

Roxas nodded making Roman smirk. "So you're saying I need to beat my next opponent as efficiently as possible. Then do the same to Pyrrha?"

Roman nodded. "Exactly kid."

Roxas gave Roman a confused look. "Won't it look suspicious anyways with the near losses I've had in my last eight fights?"

Roman whistled and nodded while admiring Roxas' deduction. "So you've been paying attention this whole time huh? Well that may be true but it's common for fighters to hid their true abilities. Especially when they first appear on scene." Roman poked Roxas' head. "Which you are."

Roman watched Roxas with a hard to read expression when the horn for the contestants to enter the arena sounded. Roxas turned and headed for the tunnel to the arena floor but he paused. "Cheer for me."

Roman watched him go and smiled shaking his head. "Go get em."

Roxas turned to look at Roman and raise his arm across his front fist held tight before giving him a nod.

He felt pity for the boy. He'd come out of nowhere with no one to turn to and nowhere to go. Hell He'd found him sitting on the edge of the clock tower he and Neo were using as a safe house at the moment.

They were wanted in Atlas Vacuo and Vale but not here in Mistral. They had yet to pull off any heists and hadn't had any run ins with the law either but as the saying goes better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. Hence the location.

Anyways the point was that the boy had gotten all the way up there without going through the inside and the combat prowess he'd shown when he helped them beat the shit out of that mobsters thugs who tried to strong arm him and Neo into a job had been something else. It was some huntsman level shit to say the least.

After the little event his story or at least the one Roxas had told him helped him piece together the facts that he needed money and he needed something to do. Both of which were things Roman could work with especially after that display.

His first idea had been to go looking for fight clubs and wipe the competition with the kids skills but the color festival had gifted them a very lucrative _and_ legal way to make some serious dough.

Besides a two time champion was in the running and projected to win with overwhelming odds. The allure of stealing that title and making a pretty penny had sealed the deal.

Just before Roxas exited the room Roman called out to him. "Hey Roxas, once we win this how's about we grab Neo and go eat some ice cream together. I saw you two eyeing that one stall the other day."

Roxas stopped, his jaw dropping slightly at the mans words. A memory popped into his head.

~ 0 ~

"_**Whats this for?"**_

"_**It's called ice cream."**_

"_**Ice… Cream?"**_

"_**Yeah, you eat it."**_

"_**What for?"**_

Axel sighed._** "Well it's a treat, you eat it… with your friends."**_

"_**Friends?"**_

"_**Yeah. Got it memorized?" **_Axel said tapping the side of his head with a smirk.

"_**Friends." **_Roxas looked at the blue ice cream in his hand as it started to melt.

"_**Axel."**_

"_**Hmm?"**_

"_**Whats a friend?"**_

Axel paused and finished swallowing the bit he'd bitten off. _**"Oh boy. Huh. Well, I guess it's someone you talk to and enjoy ice cream with."**_

Roxas bit his ice cream and his eyes widened at the amazing flavor. He swallowed as a small smile came to his lips. _**"We're… friends."**_

~ 0 ~

Closing his mouth he smiled at Roman who couldn't see his expression except for the smile.

"But you're paying for your own. I'm not paying you just so you can hold your hand out for charity kid."

Roxas nodded. "We can sit up on the clock tower and watch the fireworks too." He said before turning to head to the arena.

Roman closed his eyes chuckled. The kid had an obsession with watching the sky from that clock tower.

Neo shifted next to Roman watched the boy go with a hopeful look. She rushed over to him grabbing his sleeve pulling him around to look at her. He stumbled and looked at her seeing the hopeful look in her eyes. He sighed and took his arm back nodding. "I'll win I promise Neo. Gotta get that ice cream right?"

She nodded furiously giving him a thumbs up as he turned to leave.

~ 0 ~

Pyrrha was standing by the glass window in the renovated VIP section of the Colosseum looking down at the ring with wide hopeful eyes. The two opponents were stepping out onto the field and she smiled seeing that one was indeed the boy she'd met a few minutes ago. Or it looked like him anyways. He had a hood up but he was wearing the same coat.

She looked to the other end of the arena seeing a girl walk out who was wearing blue jean short shorts and a black hoody. She was wearing knee length boots that were fairly stylish and brown leather gloves. She had blond hair and bright cobalt eyes. Her blond hair was done up in a ponytail and she had small armor plates on her knees shoulders and elbows with a fitted breastplate and sister backplate. Her weapon was a longsword that would be a bastard sword had it been any longer or wider.

Her name, Rouge Arc. Oldest of the Arc siblings and aspiring huntress of Beacon. She would be 21 in a few months so this was her last year to be fighting for the championship.

Her opponent. Roxas. His file said he had no last name meaning he was an orphan which wasn't uncommon after the faunus rights war. His profile picture showed he was the same color blond as Rouge Arc and he shared the same cobalt colored eyes as well. He looked cute in her humble opinion.

Like before when she'd skimmed his file it hadn't said more than he used a sword and a brawler style of fighting. It seemed he had no training and had won all of his fights through lucky final strikes.

Looking up she saw the two walk towards the center of the arena with excitement.

~ 0 ~

Rouge hefted her sword over her shoulder with a huff and blew a bang out of her face. She watched her opponent come out from the opposite end of the Colosseum. He was kinda short and the long black coat he was wearing in this heat made her think he was insane.

They both made their way to the center of the arena where they stopped on their designated spots. She let her sword drop to the dirt and grinned at the boy. That's when she noticed his weapon. It was an intricate blade made of some kind of white crystal that was unifor through the entire design. There were no seperate parts from what she could see except the key chain hanging off the hilt. The bladelooked ornamental and impractical to say the least. That coupled with the coat just screamed otaku. There was no way he made it this far on skill. _"The rumors of an extremely lucky new face must be true." _She thought absentmindedly.

They watched eachother from their spots but she couldn't see the boys face covered by his hood as it was. It was kinda pissing her off. He reminded her of her wimpy brother Jaune. She ground her teeth remembering the Pumpkin Pete hoody he'd taken from her. She'd sent in those box tops fair and square damn it! This boy just looked so much like her brother did when he pulled the hood down it ticked her off. "Hey kid." She shouted. "You hot in there?"

The boy moved in a way that suggested he was offended. He griped his fist and shouted back. "I'm not a kid!"

She chuckled gripping her sword tightly mentally counting the seconds knowing the bell was about to ring. She'd end this in one hit so she'd be fresh for Pyrrha Nikos. She was gonna take the title home this year and win that money so she could get her new weapon and license then finally move out of the apartment she shared with her friends in Vale.

"Aw is the little boy sensitive?" She jabbed trying to get his guard down in time for the bell. "Should I go easy on you?"

The boy grit his teeth and she could see him shaking. "Shut up!"

The bell went off and fast as lightning Rouge was off. He sword raised ready to strike the kid who hadn't even readied himself. She grinned down at him. "No hard feelings kid."

~ 0 ~

The bell sounded and in a flash she was in front of him blade swinging down at him. He grit his teeth swinging the oath keeper up in a block. The girl smirked at him but the moment her sword hit his several octagons of light appeared out of nowhere stopping her blade cold.

Roxas grit his teeth and pushed the girl back. "RAHHHH!" The octagons lit up and then exploded outwards hitting rouge full in the face. She barely had enough time to bring her aura up but it mattered very little. It felt like she'd been hit with the same force she'd swung with.

She grit her teeth Rolling back onto her feet grabbing the ground to stop her backwards motion. She looked up with wide eyes when she heard a yell from above. "How?"

Roxas was flying through the air with a speed that should have been impossible. He slashed down at her but she swung, her sword meeting his in the middle. The force of the clash sent a wave of dust into the air, her boots cracking the ground under her.

What the hell was this? There was no way he was a novice! She pumped her aura into her limbs and pushed back at him but he somehow put more force into his attack pushing her back along the dirt. Her eyes widened and she felt her boot hit something making her trip.

~ 0 ~

Roxas Narrowed his eyes when he saw his opponent trip. He pushed off the air swinging down kicking her in the gut sending her flying after her loss of balance. He hurled the oathkeeper at her and she glared at him moving to block the blade as it came directly at her, but to her shock it veered off course suddenly swinging around her side hitting her in the back knocking her towards her opponent.

Roxas yelled as he rushed her with a ball of fire in his hands slamming it into her midsection as she came level with him. She gasped as the air was knocked from her lungs and then went flying up into the air as the ball of flame exploded.

She slammed down onto the ground coughing and barely conscious as the bell rang. "Damn it. The little guy, actually got me." Darkness took her soon after.

~ 0 ~

"WHOOO! Hell yeah kid! One down one to go!" Roman shouted from his spot near the VIP section. As the crowed erupted into applause, cheers and jeers.

A loud horn went off next to him blowing his hat off and nearly making him go deaf in his left ear. Looking down to his side he saw Neo with a blow horn in hand holding the button down as the can release everything it had. She had the most excited expression he's seen on her face in a while. He ignored the ringing in his ear and fist pumped roaring with the crowd.

His scroll went off and he pulled it out unlocking it. The screen displayed the betting pools for the last match and he'd just raked in a metric fuckton of Lien. They were definitely gonna take it easy for a while after this especially if they won even half of the projected winning.

He put his scroll away and started chanting his golden gooses name. "Roxas, Roxas, Roxas Roxas." The people around him heard and started chanting along with him until half the stadium was cheering the kid. Roman grinned and then looked at Neo who was smiling at him smugly.

"What? The kid said to cheer for him." He shrugged before looking up at the jumbo screens seeing the last few moments of the fight play out again and again while the crowd went wild."

~ 0 ~

Roxas not wanting to give away too much walked over to oathkeeper picking it up before he headed off to the B entrance to the arena. Just one more fight and it was all over. He smiled to himself as the chanting of his name became louder and louder. He looked up to Roman and Neo's seats to see them cheering and in Neo's case making everyone around them go deaf. He laughed at the sight and shook his head as he made his exit.

~ 0 ~

The VIP stand Pyrrha was in was in an uproar. Her agent was on three different scrolls calling people about the last two things they'd seen in the previous fight. Somehow the boy Roxas had manipulated his weapon to completely change trajectory and strike Rouge in the back. Then he'd summoned fire out of nowhere without using dust. It wasn't at all unheard of but still amazing in it's own right.

He'd displayed two special skills that many would covet in the competitive scene. It was downletting to see the fight end so quickly. Her manager was in a tizzy as well. They had just witnessed a nameless nobody beat a five year favorite and champion runner up after displaying no such skill. They wanted to know more about this kid and ASAP.

Pyrrha ignored the commotion around her and smiled down at the hooded boy leaving the arena. She put her hand against the glass and sighed thinking of the fight they were going to have. Hopefully it'd be an exciting one. "Roxas."

~ 0 ~

And that's a wrap. Just the beginnings of another story floating around in my head. Let me know if it's any good will you guys? Thanks and have a good one.


End file.
